But Who Do I Trust?

Welcome to this new blog about serving those in need. Are you feeling called?
So a lot of people are suspicious of nonprofits.  It may be because they don't understand the process 
of fundraising and how those funds are used.  You may be asking who do I trust with my passion and my money, and oh yeah, the thing we all have the least of, time!

There are some online sources that can help in your decision making. 
 Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org) and Guidestar (www.guidestar.org) both offer great oversight of nonprofits ( also called a 501(c)3) and religious organizations.  There's information on program, administration, and fundraising costs as well as program expense and revenue data.  You'll also find  the names of the board members and the organizations CEO, as well as the website and other contact information.

The same information for faith based organizations may be harder to find.  Don't get frustrated by this.  They are not all required to operate in the same manner that a nonprofit does, especially if it's a church-based group.  There are different reporting requirements.  Nonprofits file an IRS form 990 at the end of each year with profit and loss information, but it is not required of some faith based organizations.  You can read more about this on the IRS web site.

If you can't find much information about an individual or organization, ask questions if you are uncomfortable.  If you are interested in supporting a missionary, for example, and that person works through a church, email or call the missionary or the church.  Ask about their funding sources, how the funds are managed, and where you can access more information. 

Next time I'll tell you about some of my favorite organizations.

Serve in Faith       
Have you felt the need to do more?  No, not work even more hours.....no, not more running around town, kids in tow, delivering them (or yourself) to yet another commitment, another meeting, another this, another that.

This is about doing more to serve.  Service to your neighbor down the street, service to your community, service to the world.  I know we talk abut this all the time. The media says to do it.  The church says to do it.  You know you should do it .  But where to start?  The needs are totally overwhelming.   

Through this blog I hope to guide you to some ideas on getting started, and hopefully continuing to serve.  There will be very small, easy ideas.  There will also be large ideas, like mission trips to international locations.  Everyone has their comfort zone, and different ideas may not be useful now, but may be just what you need later.

What makes me qualified?  I'm really not any more of an expert on this than anyone else, but the thousands of ways that people find to help others fascinates me.  Somehow a lot of this type information finds me.  I believe sharing it is the next "job" God has planned for me.  My most recent position coordinating missions and outreach activities at our church opened my eyes to some wonderful and very interesting organizations that make a positive difference to thousands of people.

I already have a relationship with several of the organizations that I will write about.  If I am unfamiliar with them I will be checking them out through resources that report their financial stability, fund raising to program income rations, and general reports of them being good guys and doing things for the right reasons.  A lot of the groups will be faith-based.  I thought about writing exclusively about faith-based organizations, however, over time I have been exposed to many groups that are secular but do fabulous work.  I can't in good conscious exclude all of them.

And I will welcome your comments and suggestions of favorite organizations that might be worthy of inclusion.

God bless you on your journey of doing more.